Greg Mortenson

Penny by penny, the entire Sliney Elementary School community has raised $2,000 to give to impoverished kids in schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

All Sliney classes (grades K to 4) joined the Pennies for Peace international service-learning program in October after interested parent Sundae Pekar brought the idea to the attention of Sliney Principal Kathleen Higgins.

“We’ve had the Sliney Super Helpers [community service club] for 18 years. This is the first time we did it school-wide with the same focus. Community service is an important part of our school,” said Higgins.

Non-profit Pennies for Peace was founded by Greg Mortenson, co-author of Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time. Mortenson’s mission is to translate what’s considered to be a worthless coin in America into a valuable asset. In Pakistan’s and Afghanistan’s impoverished communities, $2,000 can supply learning materials for 100 students for an entire year or pay a teacher’s salary for three years.

Sliney classes collectively brainstormed the best ways to keep coins rolling into their classrooms until the goal of amassing 200,000 pennies-$2,000-was met school-wide. Ideas ranged from decorating and filling piggy banks to partnering with local businesses. Last week during an assembly, each class shared what it had done before presenting a giant check for Pekar to send on to Pennies for Peace.

Pekar, who has a son in the 4th grade at Sliney, said she was very moved by the efforts of the entire Sliney community to make Pennies for Peace such an overwhelming success.

“They did it, one penny at a time,” said Pekar.

(c) The Day Publishing Company 2010

http://www.theday.com/article/20100428/NWS01/304299702/-1/zip